The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
INEFFECTIVE PROHIBITION.
Curious Facts Concerning the Liquor Traffic
in Maine-How the Law Is Dodged.

Portland Me-, Special to New York Herald.
In these days of agitation for high license
elsewhere in the States, the radical Prohibition
leaders of Maine clamor for more repressive law.
Said Portland gentleman the other day.
Nothing short of making the sale of liquor a
capital offense. with the punishment of drawing
and quartering, would satisfy Gen. Neal Dow"
The reason why the Legislature constantly
adds to the penalties is simply because pronibi-
ton does not prohibit. And the radical teetotal-
ers seeing the ground slipping out from under
their feet. even with the cast-iron repressive
code already at their disposal, demand more law.
The legislators grant the boon with a smile
and wink. They know what 1t all will amount
Prohibition does not prohibit in single Maine
city. s..
The proof:
The liquor traffic fourishes in Portland despite
the fact that there are three special Liquor depu-
ties"-in other words, deputy sherifs appointed
to devote their time to the suppression OF liquor
selling, and to nothing else
Last year 379 persons were arrested here for
drunkenness, 662 for drunkenness and disturb
ance 81 AS common drunkards, and La for as
saults committed while drunk Two murders
were committed by intoxicated persons, and
young man was found dead under circumstances
that made it moral certainty that he had been
murdered Is was discovered that he had been
drinking with some companions the greater part
OF the previous night.
OF the number arrested, as above stated, 1877
were women and PA minors
OF course but very few Of those actually seen
intoxicated on the streets were arrested.
Drunkenness is on the increase here.
boy of seven years created quite an ex-
element on Exchange street last Sunday. lie
was fighting drunk, and absolutely refused to go
home.
| This is city of some forty thousand inhabi
tants. 1t has not single saloon ID the ordinary
| acceptance OF the term. 1t mas, however,
| hundreds of places where liquors can be OBJ
| tained-that is, .shard liauorH-and it deserves
! its name Intoxeation follows comparatively
slight indulgence in this hard liquor generally
| OF home manufacture.
| Beer can be obtained without much trouble,
| but it is more liable to be seized. Its manufact-
ure has been prohibited in Maine for many
years, and all that is obtained must be run IN,
either over the railroads or by boat OF course
a very large per centage of all that is ordered is
seized and destroyed. Still, one man said
yesterday, IF you can get load through 1t
| pays" A syndicate" was formed last summer
and three old schooners bought. These. form
ing what was called the "beer feet" were run
between Boston and various points OF Maine.
and escaped seizure all the season.
And after the beer has run through" it is
necessary to find safe place Of concealment
for it. There must be hiding pace for the
stock" and at least three TO watch for the
officers, to guard the door. admitting none but
Elaborate traps" constructed for the safe
keeping of liquors and for the destruction of
the stock if officers are reported at hand.
All this in Portland-Neal Dow home-where
the law is to some degree enforced.
How is it elsewhere?
The Rev. E. s Stackpole, of Bath. recently
gave some statistics Of the liquor traffic of his
city.
Bath has population OF 5000.
Last year thirty three United States licenses
were taken ont. There are fifty shops, at least
Mr.. Stackpole says they average So night, or
$685. per year for each shop, total of
10. 900 Bat he intimases that the total liquor
bill for the city every year is $3.50, 600.
AS contrast to this bill for liquors, Mr..
Stackpole gives some other figures.
| Liquor bill every year, $3.50, 900.
School bill, 900.
| Bill for support of all the churches, $50, 600.
| Take Belfast for another example.
| Speaking of the recent municipal election a
Belfast paper said:
1.-THE taxpayers were ably assisted by the rum
shops. Saturday their heelers distributed tick
cts bearing the words Good for 10 cents, which
were redeemable in LIQUOR at any of the tax
payer shops All the rum shops were wide
open Sunday and far into the night, and many
disgraceful scenes were witnessed on the streets.
Mothers went out in search OF and brought home
| drunken sons. Men were made drunk and
hived up in offices or kept in rum shops until the
polls were open, and then voted All day the
saloons were busy and put in good work for
their side. but many taxpayers when they saw
|
at work hand in hand, left that side in disgust
and voted in opposition ~
Very little attempt has been made to enforce
I the prohibitory law in Belfast.
Bangor sells rum freely as if there were nc
prohibitory law. The Herald described the stu
alton in that city several months ago. All thai
can be said is that Gen. Neal Dow does not live
at Bangor Every hotel has an open bar, every
street in the business portion of the city has the
same, and the more important the street the
finer the bar-rooms and surroundings Ths
main street has eight or ten Broad, Exchange
Central, Hammond, Harlow and other thorough
fares in the city filled with them. and th.
traffic is open that Of the grocery or dry
goods stores.
| After citing statements like the above it Seems
idle to assert that prohibition prohibits.
The law has been greatly intensified of late
No more cider will be sold openly after a few
days.
The possession of United States license viii
be an evidence that the holder is in the liouo
business.
The first offense of LIQUOR selling will be pun
ished by Imprisonment. ~ %
And yet General Dow is not satisfied. H,
wants more law.
General Dow is writing history of prohibi
ton, but it is not likely to give both sides.
The largest seizure ever made at one time an,
of one man, was of liquors valued at 500 000
The man from whom it was seized spent $500,
600 fighting the law and is row poor man.